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Gruenberg elected CABE President At the Friday evening banquet, CABE Immediate Past President Lydia Tedone, Simsbury, announced the 2015-2016 CABE Board of Directors members.

Elected as President Ann Gruenberg, Hampton; First Vice President Robert Mitchell, Montville; Vice President for Government Relations Donald Harris, Bloomfield; Vice President for Professional Development Elizabeth Brown, Waterbury; Secretary Treasurer Elaine Whitney, Westport; Immediate Past President Richard Murray, Killingly; John Prins, Branford, Member at Large; and Lydia Tedone, Simsbury, NSBA Director on the Executive Committee.

Elected as Area Directors to the CABE Board of Directors were: Area 1 Director Jonathan Moore, Region 1; Area 2 CoDirectors Donald Harris, Bloomfield; Susan Karp, Glastonbury; Area 3 Director Michael Purcaro, Ellington; Area 4 Director Douglas Smith; Area 6 Directors Jennifer Dayton, Greenwich; Area 7 Director Roxane McKay; Area 8 Lon Seidman, Essex; and Area 9 Director Andrea Ackerman, Groton.

Congratulations!

DECEMBER 2015

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Record breaking attendance at CABE/CAPSS Convention!

Spotlighting Best Practices that Lead and Inspire: Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: CABE is very excited to continue its series on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Practices that Lead and Inspireâ&#x20AC;?. Please send us your Best Practices and they might be published in the CABE Journal. This month we are highlighting â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

Granby

Tornados Hit. . . .Connecticut?

Robert Rader Executive Director, CABE

October 21st started out with gray skies, but weather coming in from the west threatened all of our school districts.

Some were hit by tornadoes, but luckily there were few casualties.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remember that? Actually, October 21 was a beautiful day, but Connecticutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection/Division of Emergency Management & Homeland Security (DESPP/DEMHS) held a statewide drill and all school districts had the opportunity to participate. CABE Senior Staff Associate for Policy Services Vincent Mustaro and I have served, since right after 9/11, on Connecticutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Child Emergency Preparedness Committee. We were invited to watch as the State held the drill.

I had the opportunity to sit in on the Mass Care Task Force, meeting in the State Armory in Hartford, right next to

the command center, the Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s press briefing site and the room where the Governor would meet with his cabinet to brief them on the emergency.

The drill is organized according to a plan setting the context. Committees meet

Program Title(s): Professional Learning Communities, Big History Class World Language K-12, Integrated Pre-School Program Categories that best describes your program: Professional Development for Board/ Staff, Curriculum/Student Achievement, Special Education Grade Levels: All Grade Levels, High School, Pre-K

as required in handling the issues facing the State and local authorities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Injectsâ&#x20AC;? are used throughout the drill to let the â&#x20AC;&#x153;playersâ&#x20AC;? know what is occurring.

Inject #1. Wednesday, October 21 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 0805 hrs The N[ational]W[eather]S[ervice] inSee BOARDS page 19

Description of the program: Professional Learning Community The work of Granby Public Schools as a Professional Learning Community (PLC) is an ongoing process. We are continually questioning our practices, examining our results and implementing new strategies to meet the needs of all of our students. Our goal of developing a culture of professional learning throughout the district in order to maximize the student learning experience from kindergarten through high school is well on its way and continues to move forward with the hard work and effort of the staff.

With the high school leading the way, the PLC model spread to all schools in the district from 2008-2010. In the summer of 2009, Richard and Rebecca DuFour (authors and national leaders in the field of PLC) provided two days of on-site PLC training for the entire district faculty. This See SPOTLIGHT page 19

Nutmeg Board of Education

Community Schools

Expanding Enrichment

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Standardized Testing

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015 PRESIDENT COMMENTARY

Looking forward: Teamwork I am honored to have been elected president of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE), and will do my best to work with all of you in this role. Thanks to the staff of CABE, as well as the Hampton Board of Education and all those who supported my candidacy. Without all of your support, I would not be in this position. Special thanks to outgoing President Richard Murray, who has been a very strong advocate for children.

During this season of giving and thanks, we are once again processing the horror of terrorist attacks on innocent citizens. It may be comforting to remember that the word “courage” has French origins, emerging from the words for “heart” and “spirit”. As we share our support for those in France, it is important to take pause and reflect on the world in which we live, in which young people are growing up with the ever-present threat of terrorism. Part of our charge is to prepare students to live and thrive in a world that needs citizens of all ages with strength of spirit and flexible problem-solving.

insuring diverse representation on boards of education and in the teaching profession.

One of my core beliefs is that each Ann Gruenberg of us is influenced by many factors and experiences during our lifetimes. For me, the contrast between a rural farming community and New York City, between Finnish culture and eastern European heritage laid the groundwork for a world view that includes many diverse perspectives. My experiences over five decades as an educator have also been significant.

Global Perspective

Personal Perspective

Nelson Mandela, the visionary leader who focused on equity and diversity, said: “There can be no better revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

Global perspectives are essential, and our annual convention helped us continue to develop positive perspectives regarding our place in the world.

You are all leaders in your various roles. Whether you are a new board member or well-seasoned, whether you are an administrator, or involved in some other ways, you all have the potential to lead and participate. Our hope is that each of you will continue your professional development in ways that are meaningful and relevant.

Teamwork is central to my world view and leadership style. I am responsive, supportive and facilitative. I want to hear from you, and want you on our team. You all have something to contribute, regardless of the size of your district.

As a child, however, my experiences in seven different schools by the time I was in the eighth grade also had major effects, with profound life lessons. For instance, I remember having air raid drills post World War II, during which each of us huddled under our desks. Growing up with the possibility that someone would push the wrong button and the earth as we knew it would cease to exist was an everyday reality.

I developed perspectives as a child that included noticing and being aware of excellent practices, such as support from some teachers, and the facilitation of meaningful understanding. Unfortunately, there were also situations that exemplified lack of equity. The determination and resolve to work together to address disparities have emerged from childhood experiences as well as professional development.

Today, I’m increasingly aware of the need to resist mediocrity, especially in the form of maintaining the status quo because that’s “how it always has been done.”

My vision includes integrated, well-aligned systems, with meaningful connections. We need, collectively, to be committed to excellence, guided by a transformative view of change. Communication, coordination and engagement are key aspects of effectiveness.

State Perspective We recognize that one size does not fit all, and part of CABE’s work is to tailor resources to a range of districts, large, medium and small, urban, suburban and rural, with diverse communities. Given the structures of our public educational systems, it is essential that we have clarity about our roles and responsibilities. We are prepared to support your work, and welcome your participation.

Teamwork, collaboration, and non-partisan cooperation are integral to the efficient, effective operation of CABE. The legislative advocacy, legal and policy guidance, and special initiatives like the Lighthouse Training are all geared to support the work you do. CABE continues to work with many other groups, including, but not limited to, CAPSS, CAS, CASBO, the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education in ways that have mutually positive effects on the quality of education for the children in Connecticut’s public schools.

Collectively, we have shared commitments. Those of us who remember the assassination of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Kennedy brothers may be painfully aware of history and the ways in which we are still working on certain issues. Some of these include

Mission: To assist local and regional boards of education in providing high quality education for all Connecticut children through effective leadership.

Vision: CABE is passionate about strengthening public education through high-performing, transformative local school board/superintendent leadership teams that inspire success for each child.

CABE Board of Directors EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Ann Gruenberg .................................................. President, Hampton Robert Mitchell ................................ First Vice President, Montville Donald Harris ................ VP for Government Relations, Bloomfield Elizabeth Brown ....... VP for Professional Development, Waterbury Elaine Whitney .................................. Secretary/Treasurer, Westport Richard Murray ........................................ Immediate Past President John Prins ............................................................. Member at Large

AREA DIRECTORS Jonathan Moore ................................ Area 1 Co-Director, Region 1 Susan Karp ................................... Area 2 Co-Director, Glastonbury Donald Harris ................................. Area 2 Co-Director, Bloomfield Michael Purcaro ...................................... Area 3 Director, Ellington Douglas Smith ........................................ Area 4 Director, Plainfield Jennifer Dayton ............................. Area 6 Co-Director, Greenwich Roxane McKay ............................. Area 7 Co-Director, Wallingford Lon Seidman ................................................. Area 8 Director, Essex Andrea Ackerman ..................................... Area 9 Director, Groton

ASSOCIATES Eileen Baker .............................................. Associate, Old Saybrook Sharon Beloin-Saavedra .............................. Associate, New Britain Robert Guthrie .............................................. Associate, West Haven Robert Trefry ........... Associate, CT Technical High School System COMMITTEE CHAIRS Donald Harris ......................... Chair, Federal Relations, Bloomfield Becky Tyrrell ...................................... Chair, Resolutions, Plainville

CITY REPRESENTATIVES Matthew Poland ................................ City Representative, Hartford Carlos Torre .................................. City Representative, New Haven Charles Stango ............................... City Representative, Waterbury

STAFF Robert Rader ....................................................................... Executive Director Patrice McCarthy .................................. Deputy Director and General Counsel Rebecca Adams ............................................................... Senior Staff Attorney Bonnie Carney ............................................ Sr. Staff Associate for Publications Nicholas Caruso ............................................ Sr. Staff Assoc. for Field Service and Coord. of Technology Sheila McKay ............................. Sr. Staff Associate for Government Relations Vincent Mustaro ..................................... Sr. Staff Associate for Policy Service Lisa Steimer .............................. Sr. Staff Assoc. for Professional Development Teresa Costa .................................. Coordinator of Finance and Administration Pamela Brooks ......................... Sr. Admin. Assoc. for Policy Ser. /Search Ser. Terry DeMars ............................................... Admin. Assoc. for Policy Service Gail Heath ........................................ Admin. Assoc. for Government Relations Wilmarie Newton ........................................ Admin. Assoc. for Labor Relations Corliss Ucci .................................. Receptionist/Asst. to the Executive Director

Conclusion In closing, it would be easy to feel “over the hill” after a range of experiences, but I actually feel more like I’m standing on a hill. From this vantage point, I can stay in touch with the past, including one room schoolhouses, the turmoil of the 1960s, the industrial model of education, etc., and look forward to a future with more personalized learning, less disparity, and more technology as a unifying, not fragmenting force. Global perspectives, school safety and mental health are some of the many shared priorities and imperatives. Mutual trust and respect will help us on our journey, together. With a shared goal of and commitment to increasing positive opportunities for all children across Connecticut, we can continue to make progress, together.

I look forward to working with all of you, and thank you for your work with CABE.

The CABE Journal (ISSN 1092-1818) is published monthly except a combined issue for July/August as a member service of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, 81 Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109, (860) 571-7446. CABE membership dues include $30 per person for each individual who receives The CABE Journal. The subscription rate for nonmembers is $75. Association membership dues include a subscription for each board member, superintendent, assistant superintendent and business manager. The companies and advertisements found in The CABE Journal are not necessarily endorsed by CABE. “Periodicals Postage Paid at Hartford, CT.” POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The CABE Journal, CABE, 81 Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109-1242. Email: bcarney@cabe.org.

Members can find the CABE Journal online at: https://www.cabe. org/userlogin.cfm?pp=1024&userrequest=false&keyrequest=YES

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTARY

CABE Affiliate Members BUSINESS AFFILIATES DIAMOND MEMBER Finalsite GOLD MEMBERS

Berchem, Moses & Devlin Centris Group Guidance Counselors for Senior Teachers Pullman & Comley Shipman & Goodwin SILVER MEMBERS Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Arthur J. Gallagher & Company Corporate Cost Control Milone & MacBroom, Inc. Perkins & Eastman Siegel, O’Connor, O’Donnell & Beck The Segal Company Sprint Svigals & Partners

BRONZE PLUS MEMBERS BL Companies Coordinated Transportation Solutions Friar Associates JCJ Architecture Milliman, Inc. Morganti Group O & G Industries The S/L/A/M Collaborative Trane

BRONZE MEMBERS Brown & Brown Insurance Chinni & Meuser LLC Dattco Inc. ECG Engineering, PC Fuller & D’Angelo Architects and Planners Goldstein & Peck, P.C. Kainen, Escalera & McHale, P.C. The Lexington Group Muschell & Simoncelli Suisman Shapiro Attorneys at Law

EDUCATIONAL AFFILIATES American School for the Deaf Area Cooperative Educational Services Capitol Region Education Council The College Board Connecticut Association for the Gifted Connecticut Association of School Business Officials Connecticut Center for School Change Connecticut School Buildings and Grounds Association Cooperative Educational Services EASTCONN EDUCATION CONNECTION LEARN Unified School District #1

Welcome, new board members!

Congratulations to new Board members!

We are pleased that you have entered the ranks of volunteers entrusted with the education of our children—one of the most important responsibilities of local government. Your job is to connect the will of your community to the education of its children. In this, you help ensure that students in your community, as well as those throughout Connecticut, will be prepared for the future when they graduate from our schools.

We hope that you will attend CABE’s December 9th New Board Member Orientation and Board Leadership Conference. Hopefully, this orientation and that done in your district, has left you feeling both prepared and eager to start your Board service.

Perhaps the best piece of information I can give you is to remember that it takes approximately two years for Board members to feel comfortable in their new roles. Going through two school years, including multiple budget cycles, is often the key to truly understanding the art of being a Board member.

Unfortunately, there is no mathematical formula or lesson that can magically turn you into the “perfect” Board member. Frankly, there is no “perfect” Board member.

All Districts Are Different Every district has its own demographics, personalities, resources and traditions.

All Boards have unique characteristics.

Effective Board members understand this and help the district make the best use of this diversity.

So, don’t expect perfection! Strive for effectiveness. That is what meaningful Board service is all about.

While navigating the tough complex issues before you, remember that you are not expected to be education experts. Our system of grassroots democracy is based on Board members knowing enough about the issues to ask the important questions and then asking more if they remain unsatisfied with or did not understand the answers.

As you begin your service, understand that pretty much everyone who has been or is on a Board has been stumped by the many acronyms (e.g., MBR, RTTT, PEAC, CCSS, SBAC, etc.) and “educationese” used in discussing educational issues. [Editor’s Note: CABE has a Glossary available for School Board Members.] Education can be a complicated area, affected by laws, regulations, charters and other factors. It is very rare that a Board member under-

stands this interplay as soon as he or she gets on the Board.

Professional Development A Must For All Board Members Right now, Boards are considering their 2016-17 budgets. Professional development for All Board members, not only those who are new, is just as necessary as that for district staff and demonstrates a commitment to lifelong learning.

Our education system is challenged by many demands, requirements and new trends. Every year, despite our best efforts, these grow. To stay ahead, Board members must keep up with their knowledge of what is expected in order to appropriately guide their districts.

As you begin this new calendar year, I would urge you to take advantage of some of the opportunities for learning from professionals in the field, your counterparts in other districts and CABE staff.

Here are some of the ways you can do that: • Many Boards take advantage of our New Board Member packets, which are full of books, articles and other material that should help new members understand the scope of their responsibilities.

• CABE presents workshops on specific topics, such as collective bargaining, policy, legal issues and others throughout the year. We always include the “basics” of these subjects when we present.

• Over the course of the year, CABE Staff is available to come to individual member Boards to discuss roles and responsibilities.

And, we always include at least one workshop on this during the CABE/ CAPSS Convention.

• One of the most important opportunities for this year, is to attend the National School Boards Association’s Annual Conference.

I’m excited to report, the 2016 NSBA Conference will be in Boston, April 9-11. We hope that many board members from Connecticut take this opportunity to attend. The speakers, networking opportunities, vendor show and the many interesting workshops should be a can’t – miss for our board members.

While many of the conferences are not located as conveniently, Boston is not only easily drivable, it’s a great city—and this is coming from a Yankees fan! Let’s ensure that by

Robert Rader

the end of this Board member election year, all new Board members will be able to hit the ground running!

• One of the other ways to get educated about education is to become more involved with your association, CABE. We have a number of committees, designed to bring the voice of our members to the direction of the Association, such as our Resolutions and Government Relations Committees.

These groups meet several times a year, but the time commitment is not major. The CABE/CAPSS Convention Committee helps plan the Convention and is another opportunity to learn about what is happening in education.

• Our Board of Directors is always looking for people interested in possibly becoming Directors and helping provide direction to the Association. Many of those who serve find that their service on this statewide Board is one of the most rewarding aspects of their Board of Education service.

Your Legacy I remind Board members that when they retire from or otherwise vacate their School Boards, they will leave a positive legacy of service as part of the chain that has been passed down through generations of Connecticut leaders.

Not many people get that opportunity.

I hope you will take advantage of your position and become, not the “perfect board member”, but the most effective you can be on behalf of your students and community.

That is a wonderful legacy for any Board member!

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

The Policy Corner Vincent A. Mustaro, Senior Staff Associate for Policy Service, CABE

Policy basics for new board members The addition of new board members this month as a result of the November local elections makes this an excellent time to review the board’s policy manual.

Policy is the backbone of the district and one of the board’s core responsibilities.

New board members should initially review the bylaw series pertaining to board governance and operations to familiarize themselves with their new and varied roles. Orientation for these new members at the local level and through CABE’s workshops will address the important role of policy in understanding the complexities of board membership.

Districts need sound policies in place in order to operate effectively and efficiently. Through policies and their implementing administrative regulations boards can address certain reoccurring problems in a consistent manner.

Well-written policies establish the parameters within which the district operates. Policy, the board’s leadership tool, is an idea designed to bring the kind of action and results the board wants.

High functioning school boards are always working on policy.

Policy is the Board’s Major Role New members need to learn and realize that developing and adopting policy is one of the board’s most important roles. School board policy establishes broad principles and goals to guide the community’s educational program. Well-written policy helps ensure compliance with federal and state statutes and regulations and establishes a foundation for fair, effective and efficient school governance.

It is important that all board members, especially new ones, become quickly oriented to the local policy manual and knowledgeable about its contents. New members review many documents and discuss many issues during the initial orientation period, but none is more important than the board’s policy statements.

Board policy is adopted by the board and used by the staff to make management decisions. The purpose of most policies is to make three simple but powerful statements: What is to be done;

What will the Connecticut Online Policy Service (C.O.P.S.) provide YOUR district?

• A policy manual updated within days of a board meeting.

• Access to your policy manual 24/7 anywhere with Internet capability.

• Timesaving links to legal and cross references.

• A search engine specifically designed for board policy manuals.

• The ability to search other online districts for similar policies or language.

• A happier staff that will have less paper to deal with.

If you would like additional information on CABE’s Connecticut Online Policy Service (C.O.P.S.), call Vincent Mustaro at 860-571-7446 or email vmustaro@cabe.org for full details.

Let the CABE staff make your policy life easier.

Why (or how much of it must be done) and; Who is going to do it.

The board’s policy manual is a living document and updating it should be an ongoing process. Laws and regulations are constantly updated, school climate and culture changes and hot topics emerge and evolve; all contributing to the need to add new policy or revise existing ones.

Delegating Authority to the Superintendent After policies are adopted by the board, the superintendent should be given the authority to develop the procedures, known as administrative regulations, for implementing the board’s policies.

Properly written administrative regulations, of which staff must be made aware, have the full legal weight of policy and are to be followed as a condition of employment for staff and enrollment of students.

A board, through policy, controls the district’s direction and future development. Therefore, board members must know what it says, agree on its meaning and insist that all policies be followed. New board members can bring a fresh perspective to policy review and development.

At some point each board member should read or reread the contents of the policy manual. While this may appear to be a difficult and uninteresting task, it’s worth the effort and can save board meeting time and legal confrontations if policies are not understood, followed or fairly and consistently enforced. This familiarization with the contents of the board manual will also provide a basis for determining where revisions or new policies are needed.

New board members are advised to spend the early months of their terms learning, listening and reading; especially board policies and administrative regulations. The administration should be used as the primary resource in this suggested learning period.

However, a seasoned board member or the board chairperson can serve in a mentoring capacity to the new board member. New members should use the knowledge of administrators and experienced board members wisely, paying attention to administrative concerns.

Ultimately, however, each board member must make up his/her own mind about the efficacy of each policy.

Policy Must be Clear and Understandable Good policy is easy to follow and difficult to misinterpret. As policies are

read by new board members for the first time, close attention should be given to understanding their meaning and the philosophy it espouses on the topic. If a board member has difficulty understanding a policy, then the public will also have experience similar difficulty in understanding. It is essential to remember that in addition to policy providing direction to the administration and staff, it also serves to explain the board’s concerns, beliefs and priorities to the public. It’s critical that policy be easily understood, interpreted and implemented.

When new and existing board members read and review policies, as recommended, determine when the manual was last totally revised. Also consider the manner in which the board keeps its manual up-to-date and the process used to monitor and review policies. CABE’s many policy services can be of assistance. Policy development, like curriculum review and development is a continual, never-ending process.

A welcome is extended to the newly elected to school board service and to their key role as policy makers! Most of the joys and frustrations of local board service will eventually come back to the use made of policy. It should be kept in mind that when done well, policy drives the district’s management to everimproving levels of excellence.

Poorly developed policy or policy that is inadequately enforced, monitored or written without great care and deliberation can be a source of anguish and act as an impediment to meeting the board’s goals, especially the primary goal of improving student achievement. New and existing board members should rely on the administration for experience and professional knowledge and should look to CABE for guidance as necessary.

The CABE Policy Service encourages boards to adopt orientation policies to ensure the information provided to new board members is comprehensive and systematic. The board member’s knowledge of policy provides the basis to ask the right questions of the professional staff.

Policy is basically a matter of fair play and common sense. If the board’s policy system doesn’t make sense to new board members and to existing members, it probably needs close scrutiny, discussion and updating. It is vital to keep in mind that the board is responsible for policies that create goals and a vision for the school district, setting the parameters that the administration will operate within and providing accountability to the citizens of the community, with the focus on student achievement.

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

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See You in Court – The Nutmeg Board of Education

The Nutmeg Board has difficulty establishing a quorum–what is the answer?

Thomas B. Mooney, Esq. Shipman & Goodwin

The Nutmeg Board of Education makes many mistakes. The latest imbroglio created by the board will be reported here each issue, followed by an explanation of what the board should have done.

Though not intended as legal advice, these situations may help board members avoid common problems.

With the holiday season in full swing, the Nutmeg Board of Education has been having difficulty getting a quorum to attend its meetings. The meeting last week was delayed by forty-five minutes as the Board members present waited for a fifth member to straggle in to create a quorum. Tonight, four members of the Board, including Ms. Chairperson, were again waiting. And waiting.

The meeting was scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m., but at 7:25 p.m. four members of the Board were still waiting and wondering if they would ever be able to start the Board meeting. Finally, Board member Mal Content decided that he had waited long enough. “Ms. Chairperson,” he began, “it appears that our thoughtless colleagues will not honor us with their appearance this evening. I say let’s get started. As long as we don’t take any action, we should be fine.”

Board member Penny Pincher’s eyes lit up. “I agree with Mal!” she responded.

“Since we have given up our evening, we should have the meeting no matter what.”

Ms. Chairperson reflected on her own frustration with the Board members who couldn’t be bothered to attend meetings, and she quickly came to a decision. “OK, then,” she announced. “I hereby call the meeting of the Nutmeg Board of Education to order. The first order of business is the Pledge of Allegiance.” With that, the Board members present said the Pledge to start the meeting. Then, Ms. Chairperson announced that, given the need for a vote, the Board would skip Approval of the Minutes, and proceed directly to Comments from Citizens.

“Does anyone want to say anything?” asked Ms. Chairperson.

“I was planning to talk,” came a voice from the audience. It was Ken Tankerous, a regular speaker who never has anything nice about to say about anyone or anything. “But I don’t think that this is kosher. I have a right to speak to the Nutmeg Board of Education, not a rag-tag group who can’t even assemble a quorum.”

“Watch your mouth, Ken,” responded Ms. Chairperson. “If and when we get a quorum, we are not going to repeat everything. This is your chance for public comment. Take it or leave it.”

“Then I will leave it,” Ken shot back.

“You will be hearing from my lawyer.”

“Suit yourself,” said Ms. Chairperson.

“In fact, I don’t think that you should be permitted to talk at any future meetings because you are a real whiner. Tell that to your big shot lawyer.” With that, Ms. Chairperson called upon Ms. Superintendent to give her report, which was lengthy as usual.

One-half hour later, just as Ms. Superintendent was winding up her extensive report, veteran Board member Bob Bombast showed up to create the quorum. “Sorry I am late, but the sales right now are amazing. I hope I didn’t miss anything . . . .”

“No problem, Bob. We just finished up Comments from Citizens and the Superintendent’s report. We will now move into the business portion of the meeting.” Board went on with its meeting, now with a quorum. Did the actions by the Board members present before a quorum was established violate anyone’s legal rights?

Surprisingly, not yet. To be sure, there was no “meeting” of the Board of Education before the quorum was assembled, and Ms. Chairperson’s purporting to start the meeting without a quorum was ineffective. If the Board’s bylaws prescribe an order of business for its meetings, Ms. Chairperson violated those bylaws by not starting over when the quorum was created. However, actions inconsistent with the Board’s bylaws raise issues of parliamentary procedure, not of legal rights.

The issues here chiefly relate to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) . First, until a quorum is convened, the Nutmeg Board of Education is not conducting a meeting under the FOIA. Given that the gathering is not a meeting until a quorum assembles, the members of the Board who were present were free to discuss Board business among themselves, and those discussions did not violate the FOIA. The real question here is what the Board members present should have done while waiting for a fifth Board member to show up. Waiting is the default option, of course, but that gets old, as it did in Nutmeg. Another option would have been to connect with one or more Board members by telephone to create the quorum.

The FOIC specifically contemplates that possibility: the definition of “meeting” under the FOIC includes “any convening or assembly of a quorum of a multimember public agency, and any communication by or to a quorum of a multimember public agency, whether in person or by means of electronic equipment, to discuss or act upon a matter over which the public agency has supervision, control, jurisdiction or advisory power.” If one of the absent Board members had participated by

telephone, the Board would have established a quorum, and it could have proceeded (more or less) normally with its meeting.

In this regard, please note that permitting board members to participate in meetings remotely raises some policy and procedural issues for consideration (e.g., how to handle executive session and/or must a Board member attending “electronically” participate for the entire meeting?).

Before permitting such remote participation on a regular basis, boards of education may wish to discuss and address such issues to establish clear expectations for “attending” meetings electronically.

Sometimes, it is simply not possible to obtain a quorum, even by electronic means. The FOIA addresses that situation specifically. Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 1228 provides that a “public agency may adjourn any regular or special meeting to a time and place specified in the order of adjournment. Less than a quorum may so adjourn from time to time. . . . A copy of the order or notice of adjournment shall be conspicuously posted on or near the

door of the place where the regular or special meeting was held, within twentyfour hours after the time of the adjournment.” Interestingly, this provision does not appear to require that the adjourned meeting be posted, though of course such posting may be helpful notification to the public.

Finally, we noted at the outset that the Board has not violated anyone’s legal rights – yet. However, Ms. Chairperson told Ken Tankerous that she didn’t think he should be permitted to speak at future meetings because he is a real whiner.

When the Board establishes an opportunity for the public to speak, however, it creates a forum for speech that is protected by the First Amendment. If Ken makes personal attacks, yells or swears, Ms. Chairperson can rule him out of order and, if he persists, cut him off. However, simply whining about educational issues is protected speech.

Attorney Thomas B. Mooney is a partner in the Hartford law firm of Shipman & Goodwin who works frequently with boards of education. Mooney is a regular contributor to the CABE Journal.

The Eighth Edition is here!!

A Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law

by Thomas B. Mooney, Esq. Shipman & Goodwin The Guide comes with a CD which provides hyperlinks to many cases and statutes and will permit ord searches as a supplement to the Index.

The Eighth Edition was substantially rewritten to reflect statutory changes, significant case law developments in state and federal courts. Some of the numerous legal developments and update are as follows: • School Safety and Security • Bullying Law • Teacher Evaluation and Support • Teacher Tenure Act • New Requirements for Professional Development • Budget Issues • Prohibitions on Electronic Notifications of Referenda • Minimum Budget Requirements • FMLA for Paraprofessionals • Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements • Uniform Regional School Calendars • Excusal • Student Assessments • Pool Safety • Concussion Prevention and Education • Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention and Education • Administration and Storage of Epinephrine • Excused Absences • Student Free Speech • Employee Free Speech

Order your copy TODAY by going to the CABE website: www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=1241

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The Journal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

CABE Delegate Assembly -- November 19, 2015

Resolutions Chair Becky Tyrrell called the Assembly to order; Vice President for Government Relations Robert Mitchell; CABE President Richard Murray; Patrice McCarthy, Deputy Director and General Counsel; Ann Gruenberg, First Vice President, and Robert Rader, Executive Director.

Delegates from across the State attended the CABE Delegate Assembly to shape the CABEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s positions for 2016.

Delegates listens at the Delegate Assembly on one of the issues before the group.

Delegates voting on the issues before the Delegate Assembly.

Delegates at the Assembly.

Delegates make their voices heard to help the CABE staff prepare for the 2016 Legislative Session.

The Journal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

Book Review of The Prize A Jersey story – With Lessons for Connecticut Imagine you were a mayor of a struggling city, with great poverty and schools that could only be thought of as unsuccessful – low graduation rates, high dropout rates and awful results on any measure of student achievement. The district has long been run by the State, with the Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools having little authority, since the Governor and the Commissioner of Education call all the shots.

Now, what if you were approached by a wealthy philanthropist, say, a Bill Gates or a Warren Buffet, and offered a huge amount of money, if you could match it, to use on improving the school district?

What if the Governor, though of a different political party, was in favor of helping the district and approved of the donation, would help you match the donation and you, the donor and the Governor agreed on how it would be used?

Under these circumstances, it is doubtful that any mayor would turn down

charter schools were the answer to the education woes in Newark. Much of the money coming in went to the establishment and funding of charters. But, this led to disparities with traditional public schools.

For example, while the traditional schools languished, charters had money to pay for specialists to help students. The public schools, busy laying off staff, could not supply the safety nets that charters could now supply. Charters had “up to $17,000 to spend recruiting and training each new teacher and more than $200,000 for each new principal.”

At the same time, the traditional schools had to choose mainly from Newark’s existing supply of teachers and principals. The new teachers’ contract, did not affect the continued use of seniority to lay off staff when the district downsized, either because students schools were closed or students left to go to the new charter schools. The district was left with teachers with more experience, but, in some cases, questionable ability.

The book goes into some detail on the lives of some students and teachers and how the decisions made at the top ended up affecting them. As Booker left to become a member of the Senate, the next mayor talked about how the community basically had to take back the schools.

Resentment was rife among parents, teachers and other staff according to Russakoff, especially as schools were closed, children had to go through dangerous neighborhoods to get to different schools and “$1,000 dollar a day consultants” were hired, even as there was little money in the budget of traditional schools to pay for extended day learning or other programs.

“Poverty and all of the problems associated with it, can sometimes be overcome in the schools, but every circumstance presents its own challenges. Yet, we must continue to look at new ways to educate students and prepare them for successful lives.”

Lessons for Connecticut…

no single panacea to solve the issues in districts that are underperforming.

Poverty and all of the problems associated with it, can sometimes be overcome in the schools, but every circumstance presents its own challenges.

Yet, we must continue to look at new ways to educate students and prepare them for successful lives. The Newark story indicates that even huge donations may end up exacerbating tensions and lead to little gain in achievement for all students, if the vision for the district is not thought through or if the community does not approve of the changes and how they are implemented.

Few districts will ever receive the unexpected largess that Newark did. While undoubtedly receipt of new resources will help some of our students, it is critical to have a strategy that will help all students.

There is a good reason school boards exist: to bring the will of the community to the education of its children. When we get too far away from this principle, our schools will suffer.

Robert Rader Executive Director, CABE

Highlights from State Board of Education meeting Sheila McKay Sr. Staff Associate for Government Relations

New science standards have been approved by the State Board of Education.

Termed the Next Generation Science Standards. They will replace the last set of standards which were published in 2004.

Liz Buttner, State Department of Education’s (SDE) Science Consultant described to the Legislature’s Education Committee in a briefing, that advancements in science were one consideration in moving to new standards as well as the College Board examinations now moving toward reasoning with evidence, critical thinking and placing less emphasis on utilizing rote memorization.

It’s more a change in how students learn not what they learn, said Buttner.

“In the real world there are not these silos” Buttner went on to say in making the argument for cross-cutting of physics, chemistry and biology to understand a concept.

Students will be asked to do less describing of a cause and effect and more demonstrating the cause and effect.

CABE held a webinar in May and it is available on our website on the standards. http://www.cabe.org/cf_media/index.cfm? g=93. A four year curriculum and assessment transition plan has been developed.

The Board also approved agency budget reductions to eliminate the funding for CT Pre-Engineering Program, CT Writing Project, CommPACT Schools, Bridges to Success. There were reductions to the Personal Services, CT Technical High Schools and Regional Education Services line items. The Office of Policy and Management Secretary Ben Barnes asked for a 5% reduction from each state agency.

All told, these cuts represent over 1% of the SDE budget. SDE funding is largely pass-through funding to districts and therefore it becomes difficult to reduce its funding.

Available from the CABE Bookstore!

and Other States the money. With the acute need for resources in Newark, New Jersey, the failures of the school district, the continuing takeover by the State and the support of Governor Chris Christie, Mayor Cory Booker accepted the money, $100 million over five years from the new philanthropist, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Booker and Governor Christie ended up matching the donation, mostly with money from reformers.

The Prize: Who’s In Charge of America’s Schools? by Dale Russakoff, tells the story. Unfortunately, rather than huge new achievements for the school district, the situation became, according to the author, mired in politics, anger from the community and a perception of success depending completely on where one stood on the issues.

Christie and Booker were both very procharter schools and they believed that

The biggest lesson drawn by the author was that “improving education for the nation’s poorest children is as much a political as a pedagogical challenge.

Redirecting large district bureaucracies— for decades the employers of last resort in distressed cities – in the service of children in classrooms is a treacherous process, activating well-organized public workers, political organizations, and unions invested in the status quo.

Voter backlashes against education reformers in mayoral elections in New York City in 2013, in Newark in 2014 and Chicago in 2015 revealed the tenuous nature of disruptive changes made without buy-in from those who have to live them.”

This is important to remember as Connecticut grapples with issues such as whether there should be more charter schools and where they should be, what “choice” really means and how we will govern our schools in the future. There is

Excellent book for New Board Members Understanding the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act and Access to Public Meetings and Records | Fourth Edition Written by:

Mark J. Sommaruga, Esq. Pullman & Comley, LLC to order the FOIA book go to the CABE Online Bookstore at: www.cabe.org/page.cfm?p=1256

Robert Rader Executive Director, CABE

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

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2015 CABE/CAPSS Convention General Session Speakers | Honorees General Session Speakers

Honorees CAPSS announces 2016 Superintendent of the Year Colleen Palmer, Superintendent, Weston

Elaine Whitney (Westport), Vice President for Professional Development, CABE

Joseph Cirasuolo, Executive Director, CAPSS

Richard Murray (Killingly), President, CABE

Betty Feser, Superintendent, Milford

Sal Pascarella, Superintendent, Danbury; President, CAPSS

Lisa Steimer, Senior Staff Associate for Professional Development, CABE

2016 Teacher of the Year finalists Dylan Connor and Dan Clement; and Connecticut 2016 Teacher of the Year Jahana Hayes.

Robert Rader, Executive Director, CABE General Session featured speaker Yong Zhao

Representative Joe Courtney

State Education Commissioner Dianna Wentzell

2016 Connecticut Teacher of the Year

CABE Distinguished Service Award Recipients

Cal Heminway, Past President, CABE Lydia Tedone (Simsbury); NSBA Regional Director CABE Philip S. Fenser Distinguished Service Award recipients Lydia Tedone (Simsbury) and Richard Murray (Killingly).

Ann Gruenberg (Hampton) and Richard Murray (Killingly) passing the gavel.

Friday Banquet speaker, sponsored by Berchem, Moses & Devlin, Caroll Spinney and “Oscar the Grouch”.

Saturday morning featured speaker Elsa Nunez.

George Coleman facilitated a discussion at the Saturday luncheon.

Student particicpation in the Saturday luncheon discussions.

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

Community Schools: Partnering for Student Success Mark D. Benigni, Superintendent Louis Bronk, Director of Talent Development, Meriden Public Schools

What do you want your schools to be?

We asked this question to our community – students, parents/guardians, administrators, community partners, and teachers.

Their answers were consistent. They want schools that inspire, are safe and orderly, challenge and support, and provide additional services. The goal of our Board of Education in Meriden is to assure that our schools operate as community hubs; where students and families receive support during the school day as well as after school.

School districts and their parents and community members are rightfully concerned with their students’ ability to develop into productive members of the global society. To accomplish this, schools must open their doors to community partners and engage parents and community members.

If we want to reform our schools, we will need help from our parents and outside agencies. If public schools are to be successful, then dedicated teachers (with the support of church, community and civic organizations, and parents/ guardians) must collaboratively engage in this work and guide our students down their path to success. We can make this happen by operating full-service community schools that have progressive partnership strategies.

What is a Community School?

A full-service community school becomes the hub of activity for school

initiatives and community service providers. Community schools offer expanded learning time and customize their programs to meet the goals of their target community.

Community schooling is not just another program being imposed on a school building. It is a way of thinking, acting, and doing business that recognizes the central role that communities and families play in children’s education and the power of working together.

According to CommPact Community Schools Collaborative, the features of a Community School include: • community partners, • faculty buy-in, • parent involvement, • school as community hub, • extended learning time, and • wraparound services Our Board of Education has supported universal free breakfast, summer lunch programs, pilot dinner programs, as well as partnerships with the Community Health Center, Child Guidance Clinic, the Meriden YMCA, Meriden Police Department, and many other local agencies. All in an effort to establish the essential features of community schools in our district.

Open Access Policy This policy supports placing school resource officers in our schools, operating community health centers in our buildings, holding office hours at our schools for a child guidance clinic; and partnering with the YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, the Women and Families Center, Girls, Inc., Beat the Street Community Center, and others. We know these partners provide the supports that our parents and students require. In essence, the old African pro-

verb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” is evident in Meriden.

We have implemented academic programs and social gatherings for parents/ guardians as ways to build connections with families and community providers.

Beyond Volunteerism For too long, parental involvement has meant attendance at school events and volunteerism; in essence, parent seat time.

The new concept of community and family involvement must go beyond attendance and volunteerism. The focus must be on improved student achievement, budget support, respect for public education, and community engagement.

In order to increase student achievement, families and community providers need to be active partners in education, advocates, and school supporters. They must provide outside school conditions that support student learning.

High-quality and high-performing schools have strong partnerships with their students’ families and the larger community.

National research consistently shows that family and community involvement in education is a key element in student achievement. Supporting education outside the school walls is the best predictor of student academic success and high school completion. Technology is helping expand learning time for students and creating a stronger academic connection between school and home.

Family-School Liaisons The Meriden Public Schools recently launched the Family-School Liaison (FSL) Program. The program engages the community in the educational success of

intergenerational spelling bees, and activities are a few of the creative ways the FSL team engages our students and community.

An FSL Coordinator is supported by five family-school liaisons that support students and community partners in their designated schools. Twenty-first century learning requires students to attain life and career skills; learning and innovative skills; and information, media, and technology skills. It is up to the education community to make sure our parents/ guardians and community members are informed, ready, and able to support our students.

Our program is designed to help provide and encourage that support. With an increase in community and family support, a positive impact on student performance is sure to follow.

These community and family partnerships have helped our students produce higher grades and test scores, improve attendance, improve behavior at home and school, and achieve at higher levels.

Student Success All communities have hopes and dreams for their children, all communities can contribute to their children’s education, and all communities can help “be the difference.” Community agencies, families, and school staff are partners in education. This triad approach is a legitimate element of effective school systems.

Do community and parent partnerships matter in your school district? Will funds be invested during these difficult economic times in community-partnership programs? Are you ready to partner for student success?

2015 CABE/CAPSS Convention Youg Zhao Friday Keynote Speaker Rebecca Adams Senior Staff Attorney, CABE

Keynote speaker Dr. Yong Zhao, an internationally known scholar, author, and speaker, kicked off the Friday morning session of the CABE/CAPSS convention with a fast-paced tour of the opportunities and challenges of global education. He encouraged the packed room to focus on the strengths of American education, creativity and innovation, and offered a vision of public education that highlights the kinds of people the system creates and focuses less on reliance on standardized testing.

The U.S. is concerned that its education system is failing because of our relatively poor performance on international tests, including the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment). “If the PISA is the measure of student success, then the US isn’t very good. But is that what really matters?” Zhao pointed out that despite a 40 plus year history of being one of the bottom ranked countries in standardized test scores, American

sustained world dominance in the 20th Century.

Zhao who was born and raised in a rural village in China, describes himself as a failed peasant. “If the measure of success is how well one farms, then I am terrible failure. I am a bad farmer but a good professor. In the words of Albert Einstein, ‘if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.’”

Countries around the world, and especially China, where Zhao grew up, produce world class test scores but their students have low confidence in their abilities and lack interest in pursuing careers despite their academic success.

“Their ability to test well does not mean they will be able to ‘develop the skills, confidence, and creativity to survive in the 21st century’,” Zhao said.

On the other hand, students in the U.S. have low test scores but a high level of interest in learning and innovating and a great deal of confidence in their skills and ability to succeed.

“What makes someone successful in the 21st Century is definitely not the ability to memorize facts. What will make someone successful is capacity to innovate, to create. It’s your ability to network, to make friends from your own circle and from other countries. It’s your ability to see through challenges, to look for opportunities in problems, and to take action to change things instead of waiting for someone else to do something.”

Americans prize these attributes and that is why the U.S. continues to lead the world in producing entrepreneurs.

Drawing on his sense of humor in addition to persuasive data, he talked about America’s emphasis on what we call “readiness.” “One of the hot terms in education is ‘readiness.’ College readiness, school readiness, kindergarten readiness…. Kindergarten readiness? I am thinking it is more likely that the kindergarten needs to get ready for the kids”, he joked.

He said that , “last year when my son graduated from college, I asked the

question ‘can you stay out of my basement?’ as I believe an important outcome of education is the ability to live out of one’s parent’s basement, that is, the ability to be an independent and contributing member of a society. Students need to enter the post-graduate world with ‘out of the basement readiness’.”

Dr. Zhao advised state regulators, board members, and superintendents to: • support students to enhance their strengths, not fix their deficits; • look at education as much more than the sum of course content and instruction in a limited number of subjects; • reverse the trend measuring success by national test scores and promoting standardization as it stifles creativity and love of learning; and most importantly, • focus on the strengths of American education by encouraging creativity, innovation, and individuality.

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

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2015 CABE/CAPSS Convention Congratulations to the CABE Board of Distinction Award Winners - Level II

The Berlin Board of Education – The Berlin Board of Education is focused on student achievement. From the start of its meeting when the board chair states its mission statement, to the board agenda which practically eliminates non-student achievement items, to the use of student presentations to illustrate key student achievement initiatives, to the board’s work with administrators and teachers on presentation concerning student achievement.

tion, commitment and relentless pursuit to learn, develop and support new strategies to create a more student centered learning environment in every classroom. The Board uses data which ensures we are making decisions and developing action steps that properly support and drive our strategic plan. The Board maintains a visible and supportive presence, showing support for all staff, and building positive relations with the community.

The Glastonbury Board of Education is fully committed to improving student achievement at every level for every student. We respects the expertise of our administrators, values the input of our teachers and carefully consider the implications for our students. Our focus is always on ensuring that our students are college and career ready.

The Bethel Board of Education has demonstrated significant growth. Bethel has publicly committed to being “apolitical” in its collective work and has pledged its commitment to the families of Bethel by signing and posting a Code of Ethics. The Board leadership stands on principle, unites for the good of children, speaks forthrightly, and leads the community.

The Bloomfield Board of Education’s policy-making and over-sight is rooted in data-driven decision-making. The Board views data on student performance and other aspect of district functions. The analysis of data helps Board Members understand how best to support continued academic growth by ensuring that all policies and resources are aligned with the district priorities: holistic accountability; strengthen curriculum, instruction and assessment; positive school climate; and parent and community engagement.

The Derby Board of Education’s leadership sets itself apart through its dedica-

The Granby Board of Education is extremely supportive of public education both within the state and the local community. The board works collaboratively and supportively with the community and town officials in a non-partisan fashion as strong advocates for students and education. A 21st Century district vision, mission, core values, and achievement goal have provided the superintendent and schools with a clear expectation for student achievement and expectations.

The Madison Board of Education focuses on improving student learning as is evidenced during the budget development process. The Board provides the necessary support to continually review and improve curriculum and the associated professional development to implement the curriculum in the classroom. Budget assumptions include: implementing curricular and instructional initiatives through professional development and curriculum renewal; maintain technology in support of student learning; review, refine, and/or improve current educational programs.

in ensuring that all students receive an appropriate education.

The Montville Board of Education works to improve student achievement by engaging in a cycle of continuous improvement to ensure all students are educated with high standards and achieve at the highest levels of learning. The board uses data to make informed decision regarding student achievement. The Board works closely with the Mayor and Town Council in developing the budget.

The Old Saybrook Board of Education believes that it is especially effective in improving student achievement due to our broad-based, teamwork approach to leadership. Given the importance of the schoolhome Connecticut, we are particularly focused on securing and incorporating input from parents and the community as we plan educational initiatives. The initiatives focus on educating the whole child to reach his or her greatest potential.

The Plainville Board of Education maintains a commitment to optimizing achievement districtwide. With a focus on students, teaching and learning, the Board provides the resources, support and leadership that serve as the foundation for our success, with an emphasis on continuous improvement of student achievement. The district’s Strategic Plan developed by the Board and respective stakeholders, has enabled the administration and staff to clearly articulate and execute strategies to consistently improve student achievement.

The Plymouth Board of Education is effective in improving student achievement in a variety of ways. First, the Board went through an extensive process to develop Board Goals that are meant to guide the work of the district. The Board continues to support to use of data analysis tools like Pearson Inform, allowing district teachers and administrators to make progress with students. The Board is also very interested

The Putnam Board of Education continues to take an active role in improving student achievement. They are given regular updates on district assessments and student achievement. The Board has ensured that proper learning materials and intervention programs that support student learning are accessible to all students. The entire Board has successfully lobbied town and state leaders for the adequate educational funding.

The Simsbury Board of Education develops five year goals that represent the next level of work that the staff and administration will engage in as we strive to improve PreK-12 education in Simsbury. The first goals of the Board of Education is student achievement.

The Stratford Board of Education is made up of seven members that serve with four year term limits. The Board revised their goals in 2015 and the superintendent has established her goals in alignment with the Boards goals for the District. Analysis of data is reviewed and used for budgetary considerations like staffing levels, and in salary negotiations decision, course offering decisions, class size goals, and facilities usage.

The Wolcott Board of Education attitude is driven by data to inform both student learning and school finances. The board creates a culture of friendly competition and high standards of achievement for every school — thus all students.

The Newington Board of Education

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

2015 CABE/CAPSS Convention Congratulations to the CABE Board of Distinction Award Winners - Level I

The Canterbury Board of Education, the superintendent and the board chair work closely together. We meet to review board agendas. In addition, we hold communication meetings quarterly with the superintendent the board chair, the board of finance chair, and the first selectman. These meetings are particularly helpful during the budget season.

The Coventry Board of Education never waivers in its commitment to doing what is best for students. This commitment, and strong leadership, have resulted in the acquisition of resources which has allowed the district to prepare students for the challenges of the 21st Century. Although each member has his own own political affiliation, their bipartisanship should serve as a model to other boards of education.

The New Britain Board of Education provides new board members with an inhouse orientation. The district encourages and pays for new board member to attend workshops through CABE. The board annually evaluates the superintendent and discusses mutual goals. They hold community forums across the district, PTO meetings, school governance meetings, and email messages from the board president, using Multilanguage correspondence.

The Plainfield Board of Education leadership practices have continued to grow particularly over the past three year. With the hiring of a new superintendent in 2010, Plainfield undertook a district-wide strategic planning activity with four stakeholder groups: the board of education, administrators, teachers and staff and the community through the PTO and business leader forums. Plainfield extends its commitment to professional growth by including in each union contract the rights and privileges for professional learning as part of the expected working conditions.

The Wilton Board of Education is a highfunctioning, highly effective governing body that ensures the district remains focused on continuous improvement. In the last year, the Board adopted a committee structure to more sharply focus its work on improving student achievement and district operations.

The board chair publishes a regular column in the local newspaper to keep the community abreast of all the fine work taking place in the district and ensures that all meetings and relevant information are published to our website and easily accessible to the community.

The Windsor Locks Board of Education has a very collaborative relationship with the superintendent, administrators, staff, community leader, commissions and residents. Respect, trust, open communications, continuous quality improvement provides the basis for our philosophy of “student first”. Advocating for resources to provide our students with 21st Century skills in meeting the new standards makes us a leader in implementing competency based objectives and graduating students.

CABE-Meeting

CABE-Meeting is a userfriendly online service offered by CABE specifically for school boards. Users can eliminate unnecessary paperwork, increase efficiency and reduce costs while enabling board members to utilize the latest in cutting edge technology. Using CABE-Meeting, the Meeting Manager can create an electronic meeting from developing the agenda to creating the minutes and everything in between.

CABE-Meeting Offers: • Secure login access for board and district staff • Access from any location with Internet access • Search archived agenda and meeting related items in a flash.

• Ability to download and print attachments • Option to provide a public link to board meeting information

The Salem Board of Education

• • • •

Your Subscription Provides: Access to CABE-Meeting Initial and ongoing training Support and maintenance Upgrades to the service

The Thomaston Board of Education The East Lyme Board of Education works collaboratively through the screening, interviewing and selection process of a new superintendent of schools for the East Lyme District.

The Vernon Board of Education utilizes a system of committees to forward the work of the board. Committee meetings are held on nights separate from the regular board meeting. Minutes of all the committee meetings are disseminated to the rest of the board and all committees make recommendations to the full board for decision on policy, personnel, budget, technology, curriculum and facilities.

CABE Member Subscription Info: Initial Subscription Fee – $3,000 Annual Maintenance Fee – $1,500

The Waterford Board of Education

If you have an interest in this service, contact Lisa Steimer at 860-571-7446 or lsteimer@cabe.org.

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

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Wilton is Expanding Enrichment Bruce Likly Board Chair, Wilton Board of Education

“The words ‘gifted and talented’ are probably among the most controversial in the field of education,” says University of Connecticut Professor Joseph Renzulli.

In a recent discussion about enrichment instruction, Renzulli, the founder and director of UConn’s National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, says he regularly receives calls from parents and teachers asking for guidance with regard to deciding which students should be identified as “gifted”.

In fact, Renzulli notes a fundamental change in thinking has taken place in recent years. “Gifted” students used to be identified based on test scores - a child who scored 130 on an IQ test was considered gifted, but a child who scored 129 was not – we now know that gifted students reveal themselves in ways that don’t always show up on an intelligence test. As Dr. Renzulli notes, Thomas Edison, Louisa May Alcott and Walt Disney each received scathing grades during school, with Alcott’s teacher noting that she would never write anything with popular appeal.

Instead, today’s “gifted and talented” initiatives are much broader and more inclusive. It used to be that students tagged as gifted would be pulled out of class and offered instruction by an “enrichment aide.” Today, a “more is better” mentality has taken hold, in which large numbers of students are exposed to enrichment opportunities, and encouraged to pursue ideas or activities about which they are passionate.

Dr. Renzulli has developed a widely accepted “3-Ring Conception of Giftedness” model that involves interactions between three traits: · Above Average Intelligence: Most gifted students are found in the “above average” range of students, but not from the “superior” ranking, as measured by intelligence tests. · Creativity: Gifted students generate different approaches to problem solving and challenge traditional approaches. · Task Commitment: Gifted students generally demonstrate a laser-like focus on a particular task about which they are passionate.

An ideal environment for gifted students would offer four characteristics: · Personalization of interest so that a

student can pursue topics of interest, topics that are not part of a regular curriculum; · Authentic methodology in which a teacher provides the instruction to help a student pursue that outside passion. · No predetermined correct answers. · Audience beyond the teacher. A student must have an audience in mind beyond just satisfying a teacher. This can involve having a written work published, or entering a science fair or robotics competition.

So, what does “gifted and talented” instruction look like in Wilton?

Much of what is taking place in our schools is based on a belief in broad access to enrichment opportunities. Long gone are the days of advanced instruction offered only to high scoring test takers.

Today, we offer opportunities for ALL students to tap into their passions, and the tools to develop those interests. We understand that just as one student may excel in an AP Calculus class, another may show tremendous fortitude in a creative writing class, or performing in a school orchestra or jazz ensemble.

For example, students in Cider Mill (grades 3-5) and Middlebrook (grades 6-8) are involved in newspaper clubs, and

perform all tasks required to create, publish and distribute their finished product.

Middlebrook students are involved in a new book-publishing project, and a new TV studio. Cider Mill students are engaging in enrichment activities offered during the new “What I Need—(WIN)” instruction period.

Our high school is a virtual laboratory of enrichment, with students engaged in seemingly limitless opportunities including debate, coding, robotics, theater, art, international relations, journalism, world language, culinary arts and our new student driven television studio.

These initiatives are in addition to the highly differentiated curriculum learning that takes place in the classroom.

Through differentiated instruction, each student is assigned subject matter aligned with his or her capability. In a typical Language Arts class, one student might be assigned to read a book considered at grade level, while another could be reading a book two or three grade levels ahead.

The goal is to offer rigorous instruc(please see WILTON page 15)

Friday morning student performance ACES Education Center for the Arts “The Education Project: How We Learn” directed by Ingrid Schaeffer, Chair, Theatre Department; Seth Harris, Technical Director; Pamela Newall, Choreographer; and Carolyn Ladd, Sound Design Student performers: Ji Ji (Betty Jane) Barrett, East Haven; Zane Bendici, Shelton; Zoe Eklund, Hamden; Ci Ci (Chienye) Emenyono, New Haven; Juliet Friedman, Madison; Deigo Garcia Miranda, Guilford; Willow Giannotti-Garlinghouse, New Haven; Lia Koski, New Haven; Lily McIntyre, Madison; Quincy Ponvert, New Haven; Ella Rodems-Boyd, New Haven; Clementine Wurzbach, Killingworth

Saturday Morning Student Performance by Maloney High School Allegrettos directed by David Pelletier Student performers: Mia Atterberry, Nathan Barnes, Arriya Benitez, Bryan Brazel, Daniel Coleman; Jake DeFrancesco; Angel DeJesus; Alexia Ducas; Ashley Flores; Christian Garcia-Sagrero; Cristian Garcia; Tatyana Inman; Kendal Mason; Nyjah McFadden; Agatha Panek; Qusanna Perez; Weston Pytel; Juliana Servetnick, Alexia Shedrick, Jeremy Szawerda, Jasmine Taylor, Natalie Turgeon, and Meghann Villeneuve.

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The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

CABE: working for YOU Individualized Workshops • Professional Development Opportunities Legal Services • Policy Services • Representing You Statewide and Nationally Below are the highlights of activities that the CABE staff has undertaken on your behalf over the last month. We did this:

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➤ By representing Connecticut school boards on the state or national level: • •

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Participated in High School Graduation Tasks Force meetings.

Attended NSBA State Association Counsels meeting and Council of School Attorneys Law Seminar.

Participated in Professional Learning Advisory Committee meeting.

Participated in Mastery Examination Committee meeting.

Participated in Connecticut Council for Justice in Education Funding Steering Committee meeting.

Participated in CAPSS Technology Subcommittee.

Attended Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology and Technology Subcommittee of the MORE Commission meetings.

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•

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•

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Attended the CAPSS Board of Directors meeting.

Met with State Department of Education representative on the State Board’s long-range plan.

Attended Connecticut Consortium of Education Foundations discussion on the future of the organization.

Participated in NSBA Liaison Committee (representing all state school boards associations’ executive directors) teleconference.

Addressed the New England meeting of the Association for the Gifted.

Met with Senator and Co-Chair of the Education Committee Gayle Slossberg on student mental health concerns.

Taught Central Connecticut State University graduate class for former superintendent Cam Vatour.

Participated in Connecticut Coalition for Public Education meeting.

Attended Teacher of the Year celebration.

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for members to learn how to better govern their districts: • •

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Call CABE for your searches!

For an update or more information on vacancies go to our website: www.cabe.org For more information contact, CABE Search Services, 860-539-7594 Mary Broderick, Senior Search Consultant Paul Gagliarducci, Associate Consultant Jacqueline V. Jacoby, Senior Search Consultant Bob King, Associate Consultant P.O. Box 290252, Wethersfield, CT 06129-0252 www.cabe.org/support Equal Opportunity Employers

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➤ By providing opportunities

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CABE Search Services

Attended CCM conference, Project B.E.S.T. Summit (Bringing Every Stakeholder Together).

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Planned and implemented successful Legal Issues workshop.

Met with former Commissioner George Coleman on the General Session discussion he will facilitate at our Convention.

Spoke with Eastern Connecticut State University President Elsa Nunez on her Saturday morning General Session presentation.

Spoke with Caroll Spinney, Friday night Convention speaker, about his session.

Facilitated a Roles and Responsibilities workshop with the Bolton, New Canaan, Region 4 and Region 11 Boards of Education.

Met with the Windsor Board of Education to plan a Board retreat.

Provided policy information to 31 districts, one attorney, and one RESC through 51 answered requests for information or sample policies, on 44 topics. Further, districts continue to access CABE’s online Core Policy Reference Manual and/or online manuals posted by CABE for policy samples. The topics of greatest interest included statewide assessments, wellness, administration of medications and health assessments, bullying, use of restraint and seclusion and issues related to technology.

Participate in CABE, CAPSS, LEAD CT meeting on the Governance Statement and the Team Assessment document.

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➤ By ensuring members receive the most up-todate communications: •

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Provided a workshop on Legal Issues for Superintendent’s Administrative Assistants.

Completed an audit of the policy manual of the Fairfield Public Schools.

Met independently with Woodstock Superintendent Victor Toth; Mansfield Chair Randy Walikonos and Superintendent Kelly Lyman; Ellington Superintendent Scott Nicol; Orange Superintendent Vince Scarpetti; and Superintendent Thomas McMorran of Region 9 on CABE services, programs and activities.

Provided school governance commit-

As part of the development of new policy manuals utilizing the Custom Policy Service, materials were prepared for Cromwell, Ellington, Griswold, New London, New Canaan, Newtown, Plymouth, Portland, Region 14, and Wallingford Boards of Education.

Observed and wrote up (see page 1) Connecticut emergency management drill.

Mailed the first issue of this school year of the Policy Update Service publication to over 100 subscribing districts.

➤ By helping school boards

➤ By providing services •

tee training in Windham.

Trending legal topics were: application of Freedom of Information to teacher evaluation data, proper use of motions to postpone and table under Robert’s Rules, Seating of new board members, organizational meetings and election officers, holiday decorations and events, and curriculum accommodations for religious reasons.

Currently in process of completing the audit of the Southington and East Hampton district policy manual.

As part of the Customized Policy Update Service materials were sent to East Windsor, Marlborough, New Fairfield, New Hartford, Putnam and West Haven Boards of Education.

Sent out two issues of Policy Highlights via email listserv covering topics that affect student achievement. This included chronic absenteeism, dress codes, vaccination, and teaching about elections.

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Discussed future education needs with Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) staff leaders.

Participated in Big 6 meeting (CABE, CAPSS, CAS, CCER, CBIA and ConnCAN) Attended Clifford Beers Institute movie on student mental health.

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

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Testing, one, two . . . . the United States Department of Education’s new plan for standardized testing Michael P. McKeon Attorney, Pullman & Comley

Dramatically reversing its prior position on standardized testing, the federal government has concluded that perhaps it has been subjecting public school students to too much of it. On October 24, 2015, the United States Department of Education, or “DOE,” issued a ten-page “Testing Action Plan,” or “TAP,” summarizing its new perspective on assessments as follows: “In too many schools, there is unnecessary testing and not enough clarity of purpose applied to the task of assessing students, consuming too much instructional time and creating undue stress for educators and students.”

In government-speak, the TAP would undoubtedly be characterized as little more than a “mid-course correction.” For school boards that have been enduring both the imposition of Common Core testing and sometimes feverish opposition, however, the Department’s abrupt change in direction could cause a kind of pedagogical whiplash.

Perhaps inspired by William Faulkner’s “The Bear,” my father used

to note that it was not the size of the dog, but rather the size of the fight in the dog that mattered, and the DOE appears to be contemplating an analogous approach to standardized testing.

For example, while the federal government is not seeking to eliminate testing altogether, it is seeking to ensure that “no child spends more than 2 percent of her classroom time taking these tests.”

Within those narrower temporal confines, the DOE contemplates a better and more meaningful assessment tool that flows naturally from the relevant gradelevel curriculum rather than forcing districts to divert from courses of study in order to teach to the test.

The TAP stresses the importance of districts keeping parents apprised of the purpose of the standardized testing as well as when the results will be available and how they will be used both to assist the individual student and to guide the district’s educational programming.

Of particular note, the TAP emphasizes the concept of “flexibility” in the context of standardized testing, stating that the DOE would “invite” states to request waivers of federal rules that “stand in the way of innovative approaches to testing.”

In conjunction with those waivers, the

DOE would work with states “to promote high-quality . . . statewide measures.”

As an example, the TAP references a “competency-based assessment” that New Hampshire is currently piloting in four districts and for which it received a DOE waiver.

In addition to this technical assistance, the TAP references President Obama’s proposed budget for the 2016 Fiscal Year, specifically $403 million that is designed “to support the effective implementation of assessments that are aligned to college and career-ready standards.”

Of this amount, $25 million would be set aside to support competitive projects designed to encourage states to develop “innovative, new assessment models” and to assist with their implementation. As such, this suggests the application of a “Race for the Top” approach to more effective forms of standardized testing.

Perhaps the most intriguing element of the DOE’s new approach is reflected in the discussion of New Hampshire’s pilot program, which, the TAP notes “allowed the state to give students locally developed tests – in lieu of the statewide standardized test – that will assess students’ progress based on their ability to apply what they know through a series of complex, multipart tasks.”

Save the Date

March 2, 2016 CABE’s Day on the Hill The Bushnell, Autorino Great Hall, Capitol Avenue, Hartford Come and learn and hear about pending Legislation before the 2016 General Asembly, hear from Legislative Leaders, and learn how potential legislation will impact your district.

A State Legislative Networking Program for CABE Member School Boards, Superintendents and staff, PTA/PTO members, students and guests.

A possible recalibration of Connecticut’s traditional state-driven and, more recently, nationally sourced standardized testing, thereby allowing local and regional boards of education to have more direct say in the elements of its students’ standardized testing could be seismic.

Although such testing at the strictly local level might ultimately prove to have limited efficacy, the DOE’s contemplation of new testing paradigms that depart from rigid national norms may usher in an era in which standardized testing can be tailored to more meaningfully reflect and relate to local curricula.

It is important to remember that the TAP is but an outline of the DOE’s new perspective on standardized testing. By January 2016, however, the DOE promises that it “will provide clear guidance to all states and districts regarding what existing federal funds may be used for assessment audits and to support high-quality teaching and learning, and best practices for using testing as a learning tool.”

Attorney McKeon is a Member of the law firm of Pullman & Comley LLC, which represents a number of Connecticut’s school districts

Wilton is Expanding Enrichment (continued from page 13) tion that challenges each student to the best of his or her ability.

Earlier this year, the Board of Education hosted a “community conversation” in which parents and community members were encouraged to share their thoughts and concerns. The number one issue on parents’ minds that evening was a desire for more and better enrichment opportunities. Clearly, in a community like Wilton, we need to continually challenge our students and offer extracurricular venues wherever possible.

We have made progress in the past year, and will build on that going forward. Many of our teachers have proposed wonderful ideas for challenging and innovative enrichment opportunities.

And, of course, students have an insatiable appetite for exactly this level of instruction.

We’re all familiar with Garrison Keillor’s fabled Lake Wobegon, where ‘all the women are strong, all the men are good looking and all the children are above average.’ I don’t know about the first two claims, but with the right enrichment opportunities in place, we can be assured of the third.

16 The Journal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

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Congr atul atitio ons tto o tth he sscchoo tr hi on CABE’s gra tula ooll dis distr triicts w whi hicch w wo ons titio ca uni omm onal C titio ca du or E ence ffo ce do war 2015 A cati unica mmuni Co cati duca Edu celllllle Exce off Ex ard Aw Award Winners Social Media Woodstock Academy Woodstock Social Media Cheshire Public Schools Parent Guardian Communications Stratford Public Schools Stratford Board of Education Facebook Page

District Budget Salem Public Schools Salem School Districts Superintendent’s FY 2015-16 Budget Book Newtown Public Schools District Budget Glastonbury Public Schools Board of Education Approved Budget 2015-16

Special Project Bethany Public Schools Veteran’s Day School-wide Celebration Plainville Public Schools 2014-15 Quick Facts Informational Bookmark West Hartford Public Schools Creativity

Going Green Redding Public Schools Rain Barrels Newington Public Schools Partnering Green Initiatives and Customer Service Manchester Public Schools “Saving Trees” Thru Digital Strategies

Parent/Student Handbook Woodbridge Public Schools Beecher Road School Parent & Student Handbook 2015-2016 Wolcott Public Schools Wolcott High School Student Handbook West Hartford Public Schools Elementary Handbook

Special Project (AV) Woodstock Academy Woodstock Academy Alumnus Speaks and Performs Cheshire Public Schools Speak Life Milford Public Schools New Standards, New Standardized Assessment

Newsletter Bethany Public Schools Bethany Community School Monthly Happenings Norwich Free Academy NFA Magazine West Hartford Public Schools Bugbee Buzz

Course Selection Guide EASTCONN 2015-16 Programs and Services Brochure Newington Public Schools Program of Studies West Hartford Public Schools Conard Program of Studies

Computer Generated Projects Woodbridge Public Schools 2015-156 BOE Budget: Presentation to the Board of Selectmen and Finance New Fairfield Public Schools Convocation: New Fairfield Public Schools West Hartford Public Schools Convocation Video

Annual Report EASTCONN Annual Board Update 2014-2015 LEARN LEARN Annual Report 2013 - 2014 CREC 2013-2014 CREC Annual Report

Calendar Bethany Public Schools Bethany Community School and PTO Calendar New Fairfield Public Schools 2015-16 Calendar and Guide Glastonbury Public Schools 2015-2016 Calendar

Website Bethany Public Schools Bethany School District Website Newington Public Schools District Website CREC Crec.org

Honorable Mention Winners ACES Bethany Public Schools Bethel Public Schools Bloomfield Public Schools Bridgeport Public Schools Canton Public Schools CREC C.E.S. Cheshire Public Schools Derby Public Schools EASTCONN East Haven Public Schools Fairfield Public Schools Granby Public Schools Manchester Public Schools Meriden Public Schools Naugatuck Public Schools New Canaan Public Schools Newington Public Schools Norwich Free Academy Old Saybrook Public Schools Plainville Public Schools Redding Public Schools Region 5 Public Schools Region 18 Public Schools Salem Public Schools Seymour Public Schools Simsbury Public Schools Stamford Public Schools Vernon Public Schools Wallingford Public Schools West Hartford Public Schools Windsor Public Schools Wolcott Public Schools Woodbridge Public Schools Woodstock Academy

18 The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

2015 CABE/CAPSS Convention

Door prize winner!

Congratulations!

Friday Receptions

“One of the best Conventions I’ve attended in my decade of Board service.”

Save the Date!

November 18-19, 2016 CABE/CAPSS Convention We’re looking forward to see you there!

Talented Student Display

Pullman & Comley reception before dinner on Friday.

“ The Convention was very well-organized with a variety of engaging topics and speakers.

The keynote speaker was thought-provoking and very interesting.”

Shipman & Goodwin sponsored the Friday evening reception..

“I don’t know how you can top this one.”

“I was able to network with other board of education members. We are going to look at sharing services.”

The Journal – Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015

19

Tornados Hit. . . . Connecticut?

During the exercise, districts report what is “occurring” in their communities. Every town reacts as if they (continued from page 1) were hit in this exercise, for example, East Lyme cludes members from the Red Cross, FEMA, DEMHS, reported, that it had “significant” damage.

211 from United Way, the Governor’s office, the DeAt the task force, the Red Cross states that its job and partment of Social Services, the Department of Health that of the task force will get bigger as the situation and others. evolves.

While with a hurricane, the State and local In our meeting, we discussed what schools will do in agencies can pre-stage water and food, tornadoes are the unlikely, but possible, event that tornadoes touch harder to predict. down in their communities.

Woodstock Public Schools agreed to be part of the drill.

Superintendent Viktor Toth was called in the Inject #2 morning of the exercise and told that a tornado was in the Television and Radio Stations with reporters dearea while school buses were carrying students to school. ployed to affected communities are reporting wideThe district quickly evacuated the buses once they got to spread damage to both commercial and residential the schools and students sheltered in the buildings. While structures, many downed power lines and trees blockthe district would have alerted parents had the scenario ing many secondary roads. been real, the district’s emergency plan did not include tornadoes as a potential threat.

The task force also realized that it needs additional agencies to help out in this emergency, including the State Department of Education and the Office of Early Childhood.

At a prearranged time, one representative (Ken Dumais) from each of the task forces will brief the Governor. An emphasis is put on concise reports, since there are over 20 reports.

The drill reminded me of how many logistical issues come up in any of our hurricane, blizzard or other emergency scenarios. It is good to know The Command Center focusing on the tornados. that the State is taking these In the first hours of such a situation, the State would issues seriously and that we have trained experts prerely in part on local officials and the media to learn what pared to help out. is occurring. Will there be a need for sheltering individuIt is good to know that so many of our districts have als? Where would that occur (usually schools)? While been part of an exercise of this type. If your district schools have food for their students, how will we ensure hasn’t been, I would suggest they do so. there is enough food for people who are being sheltered?

Being prepared for emergencies is a critical part of In some cases, schools now serve food that can just be keeping our children, staff and our communities safe and warmed up and served. But, what if the schools don’t secure. have power?

I want to thank the Division of Emergency ManageThose were just some of the many questions asked. ment and Homeland Security, specifically Mary Rose Obviously in an emergency, parents will want to reunite Duberek for the opportunity to observe the drill. with their children as soon as possible. But, if roads are blocked, how will the district and the State ensure that parents are reassured that their children are safe?

How many languages must the reassurance be sent in—and how?

All school districts are required to have emergency management plans, but they cannot develop procedures for every single emergency. In addition, have they drilled on the plan? What will they do in this situation? Who will send out messages to community leaders? There is a State committee focused on communications, but it must get very clear information to send out MassCare Task Force meets in its messages.

Spotlighting Best Practices (continued from page 1) was followed in 2010 by a PLC consultant coming to Granby to coach district administrators on PLC team implementation. Granby's leadership, expertise and success in implementing PLC teams has been recognized locally and nationally in a book (Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work, (DuFour, DuFour, 2008)), on the All Things PLC website (http:// www.allthingsplc.info/), in the high school's NEASC decennial report, and by numerous school districts making site visits to Granby in order to learn about PLCs.

Big History Class The Big History Class has been an elective course in the Social Studies Department at Granby Memorial High School for the past two years. In that time, the department has considered the relative merits of the course and its place in the 9-12 scope and sequence.

Big History is fundamentally about creating global citizens with 21st Century skills who are able to solve problems via an interdisciplinary approach to the study of World History. It integrates technology throughout the course and is the model course for our 1-to-1 computing initiative.

World Languages K-12 Granby Public Schools has a long-standing belief that world languages are an important part of a comprehensive educational experience and are an important part of preparing students for citizenship in the 21st Century. The support from the community for world language programs has provided our students with earlier exposure to learning about other cultures, customs and languages preparing them for success in today's diverse world.

Granby continues to implement its elementary world language plan by providing Spanish to Grades K-6.

Spanish, French and Chinese are offered at the middle school/high school levels.

Integrated Pre-School Program Granby Public Schools has an inclusive policy guided by a district Theory of Action and supported by a Response to Intervention Model and Integrated PreSchool Program. The district is beginning its third year of our Integrated Pre-School Program housed at the F.M. Kearns Primary School. The program brings pre-school students with special needs and peer students together in an afternoon session that can service a total of 30 students. The program has been highly successful and our youngest students are making tremendous progress in their developmental learning.

For more information on these programs please visit: • http://www.allthingsplc.info/ • http://www.granby.k12.ct.us/page.cfm?p=5070 • http://www.granby.k12.ct.us/uploaded/ Special_Services/Documents/ Community_communication_5-2012.pdf

Contact Information: • Professional Learning Communities Alan Addley, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, addleya@granby.k12.ct.us, 860-844-5259 • Big History Class, Mary Gadd, Ed.D., Principal, Granby Memorial High School, gaddm@granby.k12. ct.us, 860-844-3014 • World Language K-12, Patricia Law, Ed.D., Director of Curriculum & Professional Development, lawp@granby.k12.ct.us, 860-844-5266 • Integrated Pre-School Program Aimee Martin, Director, Pupil Personnel Services, martinad@granby.k12.ct.us, 860-844-5257

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The Journal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Connecticut Association of Boards of Education/December 2015